I'd like to say it is getting easier

But it really isn't. During quarantine, I started to build a new habit of doing yoga everyday even if just a little bit. I have not been able to return to the mat. You're not here to bark at me or lick my face. 

Petting you was the best

Dear Zig

We miss you so very much. I can't bear to be at home without you right now. I'm waiting for you to push the bathroom door open with your nose. Peeing alone is suddenly a terrible experience.

We took a morning walk without you today and we met the little dogs who hated you so much. They had nothing to bark and freak out about today. Your other enemy from down the street just walked by and now he won't have anyone to growl at either.

Sometimes I have to go outside to breath, when I realize I can't find you in your usual sleeping spots inside the house. But then you're not outside either. And when I come back in you're not at the door to greet me.

I know you had a happy life and we have so many good memories. It's just hard to think of the good when I can't find you and I want to pet you.

We went to the farm yesterday for the first time in 11.5 years without you. We packed up your bed and said Hi to Pepper for you. Your waggy butt was missed.

Love,
Mom

Dear Dad

Dear Dad, You were the best. Thanks for taking care of me. Love, Zig.

We said goodbye to you today

We were so lucky to have all the time with you that we did. You have forever changed our lives for the better. 

Sleepy Sunday

Asking for dinner

 

 

All blurry photos, but how else do you ask for ones dinner?

New bed for summer!

Window shopping with intent during a pandemic

Do you remember me?

Here I am in my favorite place playing with my favorite toy. Memorial Day 2020.

Always looking for my peeps

During COVID-19 quarantine, Mom spent a lot of time in her studio printing cool things. Then one weekend she went in there and didn't come out and she didn't let me in either. I waited at the door for a long time until Dad told me she had left to go rock climbing without me. I didn't get the memo.

Well, are you gonna play?

I like to lay on Dad's landscaping. He doesn't mind. The hole I dug was right behind me. Oops.

Let the wind blow through your hair

I don't know where we were going here, but it doesn't matter. I like to go places!

My nemesis

Punch it. I think 2020 needs to be punched in the gut.

Dance Dance

Waggin' butts and sketching

Social distancing

My mom says we are well into the social quarantining period of COVID-19, but I don't get it. We've been on more walks than usual and yesterday we sat and stared at the old sycamore on the hill on campus. I sniffed for a long time and then sat with mom while she sketched. It was lovely outside. No one else was nearby. I'm suffering from lack of naps. That's all I know. My humans never leave me home alone anymore. Why are they always here? —Love, Zig

I'm an author, right?

My sis needs to interview an author for a school project and I write this blog so I count, right? Yes, I think so. Her project would be super interesting if she were to interview me. I have lots of thoughts about things. 

A field spaniel is a work of art

But if you know me, you know this. My mom carved this of me as I was sniffing around in the snow in the back yard looking for my ball. I found it, by the way.

Elk River Hiking Trail

This is me, of course. Before I realized I had to poop REAL bad and started sniffing the air vents to let mom know I needed to stop. 

Yes, look at my cute butt. You know you wanna.

I don't know why there's a picture of this. It is not a sandwich so who cares.

What's cuter than a field spaniel?

A snow spaniel. Duh. I found a ball buried in the snow with my excellent sniffer.

A Zig a TREE

Lunch visit and ball time

The leaves are alive with the sound of Ziggy....

A wee bit of gray in my ears. 

Pepper and I in the dog days of summer

Dad got a kayak and he let me try it out too

Snow day

Today is a snow day. I love snow days. We took an epic walk on campus and as we were running across Iowa Street I heard a squeak. My human had brought the squeaky ball in her bag and it was bouncing on her back. This made me dance a jig in the middle of Iowa Street and then my human yelled that we had to hurry. Those cars would have stopped. Here's some photos from the walk! Oh! And you know what else? I've been told I'm getting a new bed! A Casper bed. I wonder if that will be like sleeping on a ghost.

Another day in the neighborhood

Sonny and I in December 2013

Good morning. It’s been awhile since I have written you a letter. I am currently composing this in my head while curled up on a fancy human bed at home alone preparing for day nap numero uno. 

I lost my cousin Sonny this week. It turns out he had cancer and likely had it for awhile. I don’t know why he didn’t tell me that when I visited over Christmas. I always thought he was simply a nervous ninny and didn’t understand the value of food, but alas, the real reason came out when he visited the doctor for his eating problem. This will no doubt make his housemates and other cousins super sad as I am. You never know what might be lingering in all of us.

This mornings walk was lovely. I read all the snow cone messages from my elusive neighborhood friends. We rarely see each other in person, but have been in communication via bushes, grass and currently snow cones. It seems that Lola from down the street also tried to nab the carrot from the snowman in Petunia’s yard. I still don’t understand why there would be three round mounds of snow piled up with a hat on and a carrot sticking out of the topmost sphere. I was initially scared of the awkward snow drift, but then I caught a whiff of one of my favorite veggies and rapidly lost my fear. Maybe next time, I’ll manage to grab it as we move by on our morning explorations.

Ok. Time to snooze now. Bye.

Love, Zig

Wintry walk